Three-quarters of Oregon students reported seeing marijuana advertising after legalization
In a 2017 survey of over 26,000 Oregon students, approximately 75% of 8th and 11th graders reported seeing marijuana advertising in the past month, primarily on storefronts and online.
Quick Facts
What This Study Found
About 72% of 8th graders and 78% of 11th graders reported marijuana advertising exposure. Odds were higher for girls, LGB youth, current marijuana users, 8th graders living with an adult who uses marijuana, and students in districts closer to retail stores.
Key Numbers
14,852 8th graders and 11,895 11th graders surveyed. 72.2% of 8th graders and 78.1% of 11th graders reported past-month marijuana ad exposure. Most common sources: storefronts and online.
How They Did This
Cross-sectional analysis of a 2017 school-based survey of Oregon 8th graders (N=14,852) and 11th graders (N=11,895). Logistic regression examined subgroup differences in reported advertising exposure.
Why This Research Matters
Prior research on tobacco and alcohol shows that advertising exposure is linked to lower perceived risk and increased youth use, making widespread marijuana advertising exposure a potential public health concern.
The Bigger Picture
As more states legalize cannabis, Oregon's experience suggests that existing advertising restrictions may not adequately prevent youth exposure, particularly from storefront signage and online channels.
What This Study Doesn't Tell Us
Self-reported advertising exposure may not accurately capture actual exposure. The study cannot establish a causal link between advertising exposure and marijuana use. Oregon-specific regulations may not generalize to other states.
Questions This Raises
- ?Do stricter advertising regulations in other states result in lower youth exposure?
- ?Does marijuana advertising exposure actually lead to increased youth use, as has been shown for tobacco and alcohol?
Trust & Context
- Key Stat:
- ~75% of Oregon students reported past-month marijuana ad exposure
- Evidence Grade:
- Moderate: large school-based survey, though cross-sectional and reliant on self-reported advertising recall.
- Study Age:
- Published in 2020 in Preventing Chronic Disease.
- Original Title:
- Youth Exposure to Marijuana Advertising in Oregon's Legal Retail Marijuana Market.
- Published In:
- Preventing chronic disease, 17, E110 (2020)
- Authors:
- Fiala, Steven C, Dilley, Julia A(7), Everson, Erik M(2), Firth, Caislin L, Maher, Julie E
- Database ID:
- RTHC-02552
Evidence Hierarchy
A snapshot of a population at one point in time.
What do these levels mean? →Frequently Asked Questions
Where were students most likely to see marijuana ads?
The most frequently reported sources were storefronts (retail marijuana stores) and online platforms. Students closer to retail marijuana stores had higher odds of exposure.
Does seeing ads make teens more likely to use marijuana?
This study did not test that directly. However, research on tobacco and alcohol advertising has consistently found that exposure is linked to lower perceived risk and increased use among young people.
Read More on RethinkTHC
Cite This Study
https://rethinkthc.com/research/RTHC-02552APA
Fiala, Steven C; Dilley, Julia A; Everson, Erik M; Firth, Caislin L; Maher, Julie E. (2020). Youth Exposure to Marijuana Advertising in Oregon's Legal Retail Marijuana Market.. Preventing chronic disease, 17, E110. https://doi.org/10.5888/pcd17.190206
MLA
Fiala, Steven C, et al. "Youth Exposure to Marijuana Advertising in Oregon's Legal Retail Marijuana Market.." Preventing chronic disease, 2020. https://doi.org/10.5888/pcd17.190206
RethinkTHC
RethinkTHC Research Database. "Youth Exposure to Marijuana Advertising in Oregon's Legal Re..." RTHC-02552. Retrieved from https://rethinkthc.com/research/fiala-2020-youth-exposure-to-marijuana
Access the Original Study
Study data sourced from PubMed, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health.
This study breakdown was produced by the RethinkTHC research team. We analyze and report published research findings without making health recommendations. All interpretations are based solely on the published abstract and study data.